Presidential Proclamation on Prescription Opioid & Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, 2018

During Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, we acknowledge the devastating toll the opioid epidemic has inflicted on our country and its people, and we pledge to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription and illicit opioid abuse.  As we continue our work to end this terrible crisis, I encourage all Americans to provide our families, friends, coworkers, and neighbors with the love and support they need as they strive to overcome addiction.

Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of deaths resulting from injury in the United States.  In 2017, approximately 134 Americans died every day from an opioid overdose, and more than two million Americans suffered from addiction to prescription or illicit opioids.  Between 1999 and 2017, more than 400,000 Americans, including so many of our young people, have died from overdoses involving opioids.  We must aggressively combat this epidemic affecting our communities.

I have tasked my Administration with strengthening our public health and safety response to the opioid overdose crisis.  In March, I released my Administration’s plan to address the epidemic by reducing drug demand, cutting off the flow of illicit drugs, expanding access to overdose prevention and evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, and conducting research to improve prevention and treatment in the future.  This interagency effort is providing targeted funding to States and communities to help people in need.  Additionally, in February, I secured $6 billion in new funding for combating the opioid epidemic.

As we continue to raise awareness regarding the opioid crisis, we must work to remove the harmful stigma and misconceptions surrounding both prescription and illicit opioid abuse.  I encourage those whose lives have been affected by their own personal struggle with addiction or by the struggle of a loved one to share their stories.  Through platforms such as The Crisis Next Door, which the White House launched earlier this year, we are building a dialogue that has the potential to save thousands of lives.

As we observe Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, we reaffirm our individual roles in creating a stronger, healthier, and drug-free society.  In every community, there is someone who is either fighting opioid addiction or susceptible to falling victim to it.  And in every community, there is someone who could lend a helping hand.  To any American currently battling addiction, whether you are in treatment or long-term recovery:  we stand with you.  To any American who wants to help:  we have resources available to support you.  Together, as one Nation, we can ‑‑ and will ‑‑ win the battle against the opioid epidemic.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 16 through September 22, 2018, as Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.  I call upon my fellow Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, religious services, and other activities that raise awareness about the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic and to consider concrete follow up activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-prescription-opioid-heroin-epidemic-awareness-week-2018/

Washington, D.C.— Marking the 20 year anniversary of the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grant awards, today President Trump announced $90.9 million in grants to 731 local drug prevention coalitions.  This year’s group represents the largest number of single-year grantees since the program’s founding. The grants will provide local community coalitions funding to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. President Trump and the ONDCP Deputy Director James W. Carroll hosted a roundtable discussion with DFC grant awardees and Youth Representatives at the White House.

“Since our first grant awards were made in 1998, the DFC Program has continued to expand its reach in communities across the country.  It is a testament to the great work DFC coalitions are doing, together with community partners that include parent groups, schools, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, businesses, and others to prevent drug use and improve the health of communities,” said Deputy Director Carroll. “Our local DFC coalitions are a key part of this effort because they are relentless in their work to prevent youth from initiating drug use and ultimately, saving more lives.”

The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, is the Nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use. Directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.

Prescription drug abuse prevention is one of the core measures of effectiveness for local DFC coalitions, and coalitions nationwide have led innovative opioid prevention initiatives. DFC’s 2017 National Evaluation End-of-Year Report found that at least 97% of middle school and 94% of high school youth report that they have not misused prescription drugs in the past 30-days in DFC communities.

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy | WhiteHouse.gov/ONDCP | @ONDCP

Champions for a Drug-Free Grant County have been testing indoor air quality at establishments that allow smoking indoors. Our testing allowed us to discover that the average air quality in these establishments is 2 times worse than the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for outdoor air quality. Now, we want to know what you think! Tell us your opinion about clean indoor air. Results will be shared with Williamstown City Council.  Use the link below to take our quick survey:

https://goo.gl/forms/VQa83GMvdtWRlPE22

 

While the start of school is just around the corner, we have many HOT days in front of us, including a holiday weekend in September.  In Grant County, we are lucky to have many places to boat and swim during the summer months.  Enjoying the sunshine and water is great while the heat is rising, but including alcohol into these adventures isn’t a great idea.  Read the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism fact sheet at the link below to find out some water safety tips surrounding alcohol use, and the dangers of drinking alcohol while swimming or boating.

NIAAA_SummerSafetyFactSheet

In February 2018, members of community coalitions FFLAG and Champions for a Drug-Free Grant County conducted air quality monitoring in several workplaces that allow smoking.  We found that the average air quality inside some of these establishment was over two times the EPA standard for outdoor air quality. The highest level was five times higher than the outdoor standard. Poor air quality,  caused by secondhand smoke can cause or increase the risk of many adverse health outcomes including lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, asthma, and more.  There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Check out this link for more information: NKHD_WilliamstownCleanAir-Infographic_hires (1)

CHAMPIONS FOR A DRUG-FREE GRANT COUNTY HEADED TO CADCA’S MID-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTE TO LEARN NEW SKILLS IN SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EFFORTS

 Dry Ridge, Kentucky– Representatives from Dry Ridge, Kentucky are headed to Orlando, Florida to join nearly 2,000 substance use prevention and treatment specialists from around the world for CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) 17^th annual Mid-Year Training Institute.

The week-long training, held at the Gaylord Palms, will teach participants how to address one of our nation’s biggest public health challenges – drug use. CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is a one-of-a-kind intensive training opportunity, offering more than 95 ninety-minute and half-day courses geared towards helping participants find solutions to their community’s toughest substance use problems.

 “The Mid-Year is a unique professional development opportunity for coalition leaders and key community stakeholders to learn about the latest research and effective strategies that will directly help them in their critical work of preventing substance use and misuse” said Pat Castillo, Director, National Coalition Institute and Vice President of Training Operations. “After four days of intensive training, leaders will return to their communities with new knowledge, skills, strategies, along with new ways to add to their existing roadmaps to continue to create environments where youth thrive – healthy and drug.”

CADCA’s Mid-Year will cover a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription drug abuse and reduce heroin use to how to create tobacco-free environments, reduce impaired driving and develop policies to reduce marijuana use, synthetic drug use and underage drinking.

The coalition representatives will hear from several federal leaders, including Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Jim Carroll, and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Frances Harding.

Some of the coalition’s youth members will participate in CADCA’s Youth Leadership sessions and training events to help them become strong community leaders and change agents.

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute will take place at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida, July 15 – 19, 2018. Visit the Mid-Year site for details about training sessions, speakers and special events at cadca.org/events/myti2018.

About CADCA
The mission of CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally.  This is accomplished by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, training and special events.

Beginning June 1 – 4 local pharmacies in Grant County will be distributing the Deterra disposal pouches with every opiate prescription that is filled. These disposal kits will aid in the removal of unneeded medication from homes in our community, and will also promote the use of the disposal box located at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

The 4 pharmacies participating in this project are: Total Care Pharmacy in Dry Ridge, and the 3 Grant County Drug locations (Crittenden, Dry Ridge, and Williamstown). Please visit one of these locations and thank the pharmacy staff for their participation and help in the prevention of prescription drug misuse.

Please contact us for more information on this project!

Our coalition has recently purchased prescription drug lock boxes and disposal kits to distribute to community members.  Our goal with providing these boxes and kits is to reduce access to prescription drugs for youth in Grant County.  Prolonging youth prescription drug use (includes prescriptions and non-medical use) can help to prevent heroin and other opiate use.

Here are the prescription drug lock boxes that we have available: https://www.vaultz.net/catalog/boxes-cases/medicine-cases-travel-storage/vaultz-vz00361-black-locking-medicine-case.html and the Deterra drug disposal pouches: https://deterrasystem.com/. Follow those links for more information about those products.

If you are interested in either or both of these solutions, please contact us through the website or at grantcountychampions@gmail.com.

For Teens, Alcohol is an Illegal and Dangerous Drug.

Don’t be a Party to Teenage Drinking!

According to Kentucky Statute KRS 244.085 (3):  “A person under 21 years of age shall not possess for his or her own use or purchase or attempt to purchase or have another purchase for him or her any alcoholic beverages.  No person shall aid or assist any person under 21 years of age in purchasing or having delivered or served to him or her any alcoholic beverage.”  Nevertheless, in 2016, 1 in 5 (20%) Grant County 10^th graders reported consuming alcohol in the last 30-days; and 1 in 10 (12%) of these students reported binge drinking (5+ drinks in a row in the last two weeks). ^{KIP Survey, 2016}

So how, if underage drinking is illegal and it is illegal to sell or provide alcohol to a minor, are so many young people in Grant County and across Kentucky gaining access to alcohol?  In 2016, more than half (52%) of Grant County 10^th grade youth said that alcohol is easy get; and reported if they drank alcohol, they primarily got the alcohol through social sources, including friends, parents, and other adults. ^{KIP Survey, 2016}

Many well-intended parents believe they are keeping their kids and their kid’s young friends safe by taking away the keys and allowing youth to drink at home.  However, the truth is, there is no way to guarantee a safe environment when alcohol is involved.  Taking away the keys does not take away the risks. 

• Death — 4,300 youth in the U.S. die every year from alcohol-related incidents. ^{CDC, 2006-2013}
• Brain Development — Alcohol is particularly damaging to the brain which continues to develop into the early to mid 20s. ^{National Institute of Health, 2013}
• Alcohol Dependence — Youth who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than people who begin drinking at age 21. ^{Grant, B.F., & Dawson, 1997}
• Memory Loss — Approximately 1 in 10 (11.6%) Grant County 10^th graders have reported blacking out as result of their drinking or drug use. ^{KIP Survey, 2016}
• Binge Drinking — Adolescents who obtained alcohol at a party from a parent reported consuming more drinks and were twice as likely to report past 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking. ^{Foley, 2014}

When planning a celebration for a graduate, there are several things to consider to keep the youth at the party safe.  First, provide non-alcoholic drinks (water, soft drinks) as an alternative to alcohol to those in attendance and be sure to place alcohol with an adult who will adequately supervise those who chose to consume.  Second, instead of having the party in the evening, choose to have it at lunch-time instead.  This will help minimize the alcohol that is consumed by those over the age of 21.  Third, limit the guest list to only close friends and family – this will help keep the adult to youth ratio more balanced and allow for supervision.  Finally, consider being intentional in hosting an alcohol-free event. Communicate this with other parents and adults who will be in attendance.  If alcohol will be served, also communicate that with those parents.  If parents come together during this time of year, we can prevent underage drinking.

The science is clear about young people and alcohol.  Adult-supervised drinking by youth does not inhibit alcohol use or misuse.  Parents adopting a zero-tolerance standard can reduce harmful alcohol use among their youth.

“For teens, alcohol is an illegal and dangerous drug.  Don’t be a party to underage drinking.”

Learn more at www.kyprevention.com.

On March 25, 2018 Champions for a Drug-Free Grant County and the Grant County Drug Task Force partnered for a successful One Encounter event.  Together, with 7 Hills Church, we offered youth and youth pastors live music, a powerful message, and a yummy meal from Raising Cane’s.  We had over 300 people in attendance that night, and we hope to hold more events like this in the future.

We will be adding lessons plans for youth pastors as a follow-up to this event on our website.  These will be posted under the Partners tab in the Faith-based section.

Continue to check out our website for more information on future events.